Sep 17 - Local Press Speculate On Rift Between Number Six And Governor
A leaked civil service circular and some frank answers by Governor Sir James Dutton on GBC’s Talk About Town have sparked local press speculation on the emergence of a possible rift between the Government and the Convent.
Last Friday, the Gibraltar Chronicle’s Dominique Searle reported that a circular had been distributed to all Government Heads of Department urging them that all future contact to or from the Convent “must be referred to the Office of the Chief Minister for prior clearance.”
Although Number Six replied by stressing that there was nothing unusual in the content of the circular and that it merely repeated established protocol, the Chronicle noted that it was issued on the day that the Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, had addressed the Governor and judiciary and called for Gibraltar’s “full emancipation.”
DUTTON ON TV
News of the circular and its implications was quickly overshadowed by a lengthy and candid interview given by the Governor on GBC’s Talk About Town on Monday night.
During the interview, Sir James said that, although he had a good relationship with Number Six, there were some areas of disagreement.
Speaking to Richard Cartwright and James Neish, the Governor described the 2006 Constitution as an “overreaction” to the rejected joint-sovereignty proposal which was the brainchild of the former Labour minister Peter Hain. The Governor also said that there existed certain differences in interpretation regarding some aspects of the Constitution.
According to the Chronicle, one major question on which there is a divergence of opinion is the forthcoming appointment of a new Attorney General once the incumbent, Ricky Rhoda, retires next year.
PANORAMA
Running the front page headline “Governor Tells Visiting MPs That Gibraltarians Are Too Insular”, the Panorama newspaper chastised the Governor for “sitting on the fence” when it comes to defending Gibraltar. The paper’s editor, Joe Garcia, writing in today’s edition, accuses the Governor of making other “critical references” to the people of Gibraltar and downplaying the effects of restrictions at the frontier.
